A North Carolina man arrested on Route 95 with "an arsenal of loaded firearms" including two AR-15 assault rifles, night-vision goggles and camouflage gear was sentenced to eight years in prison Wednesday, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

Anthony Mondrez Thompson, 43, pleaded guilty in federal court on Nov. 6, 2020, to the charge of being a felon in possession of firearms, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a news release.

“This defendant traveled from North Carolina with an arsenal of loaded firearms, ammunition and other weapons," Myrus said. "Their seizure, and today’s federal sentence, are an unequivocal win for our communities and for the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program.”

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At about 8 p.m. June 22, 2017, the state police stopped a Nissan Pathfinder on the highway in West Greenwich for a minor traffic violation, according to previous Journal reporting.

Discovering that the driver, Thompson, had a criminal record and lied to them about it, Troopers Garrett Hassett and Jeffrey Konieczny asked him if they could search the SUV, according to previous Journal reporting. The troopers went to handcuff Thompson after spotting gun attachments in two open bags, but Thompson shoved Konieczny and ran across the highway, The Journal previously reported. He stopped when Hassett stunned him with a Taser.

Searching the car, the troopers found eight high-powered pistols, a revolver, two AR-15 assault rifles, a sawed-off shotgun, a high-capacity rifle, pistol magazines, boxes of ammunition, military-issued smoke grenades, camouflage gear and masks, night-vision goggles and a Taser, The Journal previously reported. Troopers also seized about 15 ounces of amphetamines.

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A can of pepper spray, a machete and handcuffs were also recovered, the U.S. Attorney said.

At least three of the firearms had been stolen, Myrus said.

Thompson told the police he was on his way to Providence for his niece's college graduation, The Journal previously reported.

Thompson has a record of convictions on drugs, guns, assault and kidnapping in state and federal courts going back to 1994 in North Carolina and New York, The Journal previously reported.

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On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. sentenced Thompson to 96 months in prison followed by two years of federal supervised release.